Marc Cheverie

PRINCETON, N.J.  In perhaps the closest call in College Hockey News' five years, Denver goaltender Marc Cheverie has been named CHN Player of the Year.

Cheverie has been considered a Hobey Baker Award favorite for a large part of the year, but with his team losing its last three games, his status has been thrown into question.

Two other players still playing — Wisconsin's Blake Geoffrion and Brendan Smith — have seen their stars rise, particularly with Geoffrion now up to 27 goals coming off his West Regional Most Outstanding Player award last weekend.

But Cheverie was stellar the entire season for Denver, leading it to a MacNaughton Cup as WCHA regular-season champions. His overall numbers were 24-6-3 with a 2.08 goals against average and .932 save percentage in 35 games.

After allowing four goals to Vermont in a game that opened the season, Cheverie recorded three consecutive shutouts. However, he was seriously injured when a skate gashed his leg in the next game against Minnesota State on Oct. 30, putting his season into question. Cheverie returned, however, in just three weeks, shutting out North Dakota and sending the Pioneers off and running. Cheverie had two more shutouts in the season, though none after Jan. 29.

Cheverie, 23, who had already been named All-CHN First Team and WCHA Player of the Year, hails from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, the same hometown as NHL star Sidney Crosby.

Cheverie is a seventh-round draft choice of the Florida Panthers. He hasn't decided yet whether he will leave for the pros.